Churn unloading means



April 7, 1959 H. L. SOLIE CHURN UNLOADING MEANS,

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 31, 1957 INVENTOR. v HAROLD L. SOL/E United Sates Patent CHURN UNLOADING MEANS Harold L. Solie, Minneapolis, Minn. Application May 31, 1957, Serial No. 662,687

Claims. c1. 259-89) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in churns, and more particularly to new and useful improvements in unloading means for revolving type churns.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and useful means for unloading said churns.

A further object of this invention is to provide within such churns a new and useful shelf for unloading.

A further object of this invention is to provide in such churns a new and unique gate or closure means greatly facilitating the unloading thereof.

Still further objects of this invention reside in the unique shelf, the auxiliary extension therefor and the means by which said auxiliary extension may be moved into cooperative position with said shelf or retracted to out-of-the-way position.

Still further objects of this invention reside in the specific structural details of the door, shelf and auxiliary extension therefor.

Other objects of the invention are inherent and apparent in the structure as described, pictured and claimed.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, this invention then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

In the accompanying drawings of this application, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a churn and an accompanying butter boat and showing this invention utilized in the churn;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but on a reduced scale showing one position of the churn preparatory to unloading;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to Figure 2 but showing butter being unloaded from the churn; and

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the churn of Figure 1.

Throughout the specification and drawings this invention will be described as utilized in cooperation with the butter churn having a revolving drum. However, it is to be understood that this invention may be used in any container or cylinder for tumbling materials from which it is desired to exhaust plastic or semi-fluid materials, and this invention so contemplates.

It is understood, therefore, that while it is described in use in a cylindrical churn, the invention is readily adaptable to other tumbling containers of other configurations for tumbling or churning or mixing other materials than butter.

The churn or container itself forms no part of this invention per se and therefore will not be described in great detail. A suitable churn or container with which this invention may be used is shown and described in Patent The churn generally designated 10 comprises substantially a right circular cylinder, usually of wood, although it may be made of other materials such as steel, etc. It is provided with planar end walls 11 which form heads closing the right cylindrical body section to form a barrel or drum. Extending between and secured to the heads 11 is a bafile 12 against which the butter impinges during a portion of each butter working cycle. Secured to the exterior of each head 11 is a hub 13 journaled in end bearings 14 and 15, each provided within suitable housing 16 and 17, respectively. A plurality of radially disposed vanes 20 of the configuration shown, are fixedly disposed within the interior of the church. Each of the vanes 20 is slightly spiral in shape and wider at the ends of the cylinder, terminating adjacent the vertical center line of the cylinder. The vanes at one end of the cylinder are oppositely disposed with respect to the vanes of the other end thereof, all as described in the aforesaid patent. Reference is made to said patent for any additional constructional details.

In this invention, the four vanes, instead of being positioned so that the head engaging ends are at the-four quadrants of a circle, are moved to make way for a fifth straight vane or shelf 21. Thus, as seen, two of the vanes 20, are spread apart somewhat more than their normal distance (if there were no shelf) and the other two vanes are equally spaced with reference thereto.

Shelf 21, as shown, extends the entire axial length of the cylinder and is secured to the cylinder wall 22 and the heads 11 by suitable means, adhesively, or nailed, bolted, etc. when a wooden cylinder is used, and by welding or otherwise if a steel cylinder is used.

It is reinforced by a pair of triangular spaced gussets 22' spaced as shown in Figure 4, the gussets being provided beneath the trailing undersurface of shelf 21 with reference to the direction of rotation of the churn as shown by the arrow 23.

A shelf extension 24 of a length slightly less than the inside axial extension of the drum (so that it may be moved therein from the dotted line position of Figure 1 to the full line position thereof) is positioned interior of the drum and for cooperation with shelf 21.

Shelf extension 24 is provided with a concave surface so that it may be positioned in substantially complete abutment with the baffle pole 12 when retracted as shown in the dotted line position of Figure 1. The extension 24 is supported by a pair of arms 31, one adjacent each wall 11, fixedly secured to headed members 32 and 32A received on apertured bosses 33 which serve as bearings therefor. Member 32A is provided with a nut 34 as shown in Figure 4, and the shank thereof serves as an axle for the right arm 31 with reference to Figure 4. The other headed member 32 is fixedly secured to the sleeve portion of an arm 35 provided with a spring detent 36 selectively receivable in sockets provided in the ends of a curved detent plate 40 secured to the left wall 11 of the churn with reference to Figure 4. Thus it will be appreciated that by manipulation of the spring pressed detent 36, shelf extension 24 may be selectively locked in its operative full-line position, shown in Figure 1, or in the inoperative position, indicated in dotted lines in said figure.

Shelf 21 is positioned flush with the bottom wall portion 40 of a rectangular butter discharge chute 41 of the churn, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. Chute 41 is provided with a peripheral flange 42. It may be of wood, metal or other suitable material. Positioned beneath the bottom wall portion 40' of the chute 41 is a pair of lugs 43 each adapted to receive a hinge pin 44 secured to a cooperating lug 45 on a door 46.

Door 46 comprises a fiat planar surface 50 and has a strengthening rectangular flange 51 extending therefrom.

Thus, as will be seen, the door 46 is specifically positioned so that its surface 50 serves as an extension of shelf 21, when opened to the position of Figure 3, but serves to close the chute 41 when in the position shown in Figure 1. The door is retained in closed position by one or more handle fasteners 53,- each journaled on a stud 54- secured to lugs 55 in turn afiixed to the upper surface of flange 42. A butter boat 56 or other receptacle, shown supported upon wheels 57, is positioned, not beneath the drum, but at one side thereof so that surface 50 of door 46 may be placed in prolongation with the top surface of shelf 21, thereby to provide a composite shelf or slide over which the mass of butter B may be slid from the churn into the butter boat 56, as shown in Figure 3.

The drumis revolved in the direction of the arrow 23 by suitable gearing within housing 15, again as described-and illustrated in Patent No. 2,030,641.

Thus, it will be seen that there is provided within the churn a new and useful butter unloading shelf positioned to receive the bulk butter from the vanes 20 of the rotary churn drum, and having positioned in cooperative relation thereto, an internal arcuate shelf extension supported upon a pair of arms, one secured to each end wall or head 11 of the drum. One of said arms is atfixed to a pin which in turn, is provided with an actuating arm which may be retained in operative or inoperative position in cooperation with shelf 21 or in abutment with thecentral baffle pole by spring detent means 36. The drum is apertured and the aperture is provided with a circumferential frame secured to the exterior surface of the drum and providing the chute 41 which is closed by door 46 hinged to open from the top to the bottom, so that the door, when opened, will form an extension of shelf 21, when the door is open, as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

Operation In operation the butter or like is churned, worked or reworked in the usual manner, the shelf 21 functioning as a supplement to the working action of vanes 20. When it is desired to unload the butter, the churn is stopped substantially at the position of Figure 2, and shelf extension 24 moved to the position shown in that figure, after which the churn is rotated to the position shown in Figure 1 for unloading.

In practice, it may be preferable to make an additional complete turn or two to position the butter mass from the position of Figure 2 to the position of Figure 1. If more butter is being churned than can be accommodated by the shelf 21 and the extension shelf 24 at one time, as shown in Figure 1, the process of accumulating the butter mass on the shelf 21 and extension 24 and discharging it is repeated until the churn is empty.

After the butter mass or substantial portion thereof is positioned on the shelf 21, as shown in Figure 1, the door 46 is opened to the position shown in Figure 3, whereupon it forms in effect a continuation of the shelf 21, so that the butter may slide by gravity from the churn into the boat 56, as will readily be understood by reference to Figure 3.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom and the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

What is claimed:

1. In a churn, a rotatable body having a door opening therein, a door for said opening, a shelf positioned interiorly of the churn and extending inwardly from the bottom of said door opening, and said door being hinged at its bottom edge to provide an extension of said shelf, when in open position.

2. The structure of claim 1, further characterized by the provision of a movable shelf extension normally positioned in retracted inoperative position within the churn, and and movable from its retracted position to all; operative position to form an extension of said fixed s elf.

3. A churn comprising a cylindrical drum having a door opening in its cylindrical wall, a door for said opening hinged to the bottom edge of said door opening when the churn is in unloading position, a shelf positioned interiorly of the drum and extending into the drum from the bottom edge of the door opening in position to receive butter to be removed from the churn, said shelf cooperating with said door, when the door is open, to provide an extended chute for guiding butter from the churn into a separate receiving means.

4. The structure of claim 3, further characterized by a central axially extendingbutter working member within the churn, and a movable shelf extension mounted between said fixed shelf and said axially extending butter working member and normally in retracted inoperative position adjacent to said axially extending member, and movable therefrom to an operative position adjacent to said fixed shelf member, thereby to guide the butter from the churn onto said fixed shelf when the churn assumes a butter unloading position.

5. A churn comprising a cylindrical drum, a central concentric cylindrical member of substantially smaller diameter positioned interior thereof, a rectangular aperture in the cylindricalwall of said churn, a shelf positioned fiush with the bottom thereof when the churn is in unloading position,.a shelf extension comprising a member having an arcuate surface shaped to conform to the exterior surface of said concentric cylindrical member, said-' extension movable from a first out-of-the-way positionin abutment therewith to a second position resting upon an edge of said shelf and forming an extension therefor, a. rectangular chute circumscribing said aperture, 3..(1001 providing a planar surface therefor, said door movable from a first position to close said chute to a second position wherein it forms an extension of said chute and of said shelf and means retaining said door in closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 956,310 Disbrow Apr. 26, 1910 1,052,899 Disbrow Feb. 11, 1913 2,108,162 Clark Feb. 15, 1938 

